The Importance of Listening
by Uncle Charlie
Summary: A new Working Stiffs. In the war, she'd been part of an elite force of code breakers, but that was merely training for the biggest challenge of her life - UNCLE. My thanks to Reapermum for a fabulous prompt.


There was once a time in my life when I was one of the most powerful people in the world, but no one knew it. There was also time when I was the least powerful and most people took one look at me and kept walking. I'm not quite sure which I preferred.

I grew up in a single parent household when the mere thought of being divorced was scandalous, to say nothing of being an unwed mother. My father's family wanted nothing to do with us, so my mother and I scratched out an existence as best we could. There were many nights I went to bed, my stomach pinched with hunger. At that point, I swore that when I grew up, I would do whatever it took to succeed.

When the recruiter came to my school, I immediately enlisted. It wasn't so much the fact that it would let me see the world and help my country. The thought of three square meals a day couldn't be ignored, plus it would give me a chance to go to school. I was going to make something of myself.

I was a young woman, working on the edge of the Bletchley Park code breaking operation. I wasn't a code breaker myself. I worked on sorting the intercepts and passing them on to the code breakers. While I was doing this, I learned just how much intelligence you can get from a group of signals even before they've been read. How once you've listened to Morse code for a while, the rhythm of a signaler is as recognizable as a spoken voice. If a signaler moved where he is transmitting, the signals coming from a new position probably mean a new base is being established, that sort of thing.

It was an exciting time and I loved my time with the Army. Of course, I couldn't tell anyone what I did for a living. It didn't matter. For the first time in my life, I was important.

Then this smooth-talking GI came along. I learned well from my mamma and there was no hanky-panky until there was a proper ceremony and a ring on my finger. Just as well, because little Andrew came along just ten months afterwards. That meant an honorable discharge for me and, as Jacob was nearing the end of his hitch, it seemed the perfect timing. For the first time in my life, I was truly happy and fulfilled.

Jacob was a good man and a good provider. He worked hard to make sure our little ones had food on the table and a warm place to sleep at night. The years just sort of fell in on themselves. Most days I didn't have the energy to dream when I tumbled into bed, much less go to college. I looked forward to the children growing up and flying off into the world while Jacob and I grew old together. However, God had other plans. One night He took Jacob, right at the dinner table where we had all gathered to celebrate our youngest's acceptance into Lincoln University. For the first time in my life, I was without direction.

Jacob had worked hard. Likewise, Paul would have to work at college to help pay his tuition, but my children were not afraid of getting their hands dirty. There had been money for them, but that meant precious little left for me when I needed it most. I had the options of doing nothing and ending up in the streets or finding work. I did whatever I could and it often wasn't pretty.

It was a rainy morning and I was sitting on the bus, my back and feet aching, when I heard someone clear his throat.

"Is this seat taken?"

The speaker was a small man with an air of both authority and kindness about him. I liked and, strangely enough, trusted him completely.

"No, sir."

"Oh, I'm not a sir. My name is Tom Kelly." He offered an arthritic hand and I shook it gently, mindful of how it must pain him at times.

"I'm Selma Valentine."

"That's a lovely name." The bus bumped and rocked along. "If you don't think me too forward, you look very tired, Miss Valentine."

"Mrs. Valentine," I corrected politely.

"Forgive my impertinence. An attractive woman like you would have to be a wife to a lucky man."

"Not so lucky. My Jacob is with the Lord now."

Over the course of our ride, we talked and talked. The next morning he was there again and then again and again and again. We became regular seatmates on that old bus.

"Selma, I hope you don't think me too forward, but I would like to make a proposition to you."

I laughed. "Ain't the first time I've heard that!" I slapped him lightly on his shoulder and he laughed as well.

"Mine is honorable, I can assure you. We need someone at my work. Sadly, it would still be the same sort of work, but the pay is much better and the hours would be shorter and regular. You'd have to go through an interview and everything, but I think you'd be a good fit. I am a good judge of people."

That was how I got a job at the Masque Club. The interview process was scary. So many questions just to have the right to wash out a sink and empty garbage. Of course, I didn't know right away. A week went by and I didn't hear from the Club or see tom. I was beginning to think it had all been a dream.

Then about ten days later, Tom sat down beside me on the bus and there was a huge grin on his face. He had such a kind smile.

"Selma, you got it!"

"Really! When do I start?"

"As soon as you can."

"Today?"

"No, no." He took my hand and squeezed. When he took his hand away, I was looking down at more money than I'd ever seen at one time.

"What is this?" I immediately grew wary.

"It's your signing bonus. Take a couple of days to rest up, pamper yourself a little and then report to work."

"How do you know I'm not going to take off with this?"

He laughed again. "Because, as I said before, I know people. And you are good people."

I was still scrubbing toilets, but I was treated so much better. No one talked down to me and I appreciated that. Here is wasn't just some black lady washing the floor. Here, I was Mrs. Valentine and for the first time in my life, I felt respected.

I was about three months into the job when my boss stopped me. "Mrs. Valentine, Personnel would like to see you."

Those few words shot bullets into my heart. "What have I done wrong, Mr. Hayes?"

He smiled and shook his head. "It's not what you did wrong, Mrs. Valentine. It's what you've done right. I could take you right now, if you are agreeable."

Puzzled, I went to clock out and he stopped me. "Oh, no, you are still on the clock, ma'am."

I didn't let it show, but suddenly I was "ma'am." That was a little odd. I followed him into a part of the building I'd never seen. It was a seeming maze of steel corridors and unmarked doors.

Mr. Hayes stopped in front of one and it opened. I must have jumped a mile high when it did.

"They are waiting for you inside."

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"Oh, no, ma'am. I'm not cleared."

I swallowed and stepped through the door. Mr. Haddock, the personal manager, was behind his desk. There was an old man sitting there and he had an air of authority around him. Besides him sat a good looking young fella I knew to be Napoleon Solo. You only have to meet him once to be struck by his charm and intelligence. Women ate men like that alive and he was always at the Masque Club with a lovely young lady on his arm. All three men stood as I entered and I also looked over my shoulder to see if someone else had come in with me.

"Ah, Mrs. Valentine, do sit down." Mr. Haddock gestured to a seat and I sat into it as everyone else resumed their own seats..

"Thank you, sir."

"May I introduce Mr. Waverly and Mr. Solo?"

"I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Waverly. Mr. Solo I know." I shook hands with them both and I noticed that Mr. Solo seemed distracted. "Are you all right, Mr. Solo? You seem tired."

He forced a smile tinged with sadness. "I hope that your being here will fix that."

"Mrs. Valentine, a man's life hangs in the balance and we are hoping that you might be able to help us out. We know about your war record."

"You worked breaking codes."

I tried to keep my expression neutral. There was no way they could know that. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you are talking about. I worked as a secretary."

"The time for discretion is long past, young lady." Mr. Waverly said. "UNCLE's background check of you was quite thorough. I dare say that there is nothing in your life that we don't know about, including your time with the Bletchley Park code breaking operation."

Mr. Solo sat forward, his eyes searching my face. "Your secret is safe with us and nothing will be said outside this office."

"Then you know I wasn't a code breaker. I merely intercepted and passed messages on."

"I think you did more than that. You were able to tell when a signal moved."

"Well, yes, after a fashion."

"We have a missing agent, my partner, and a series of intercepted messages. We need to see if you can make anything out of them."

"And if I were to refuse?"

"Then you would walk out of this office and back to your regular duties in the Masque Club, but I beg you to consider our request. Time is running out for Illya. You are, quite literally, his last hope."

In the end, it was Mr. Solo's eyes that convinced me. I could see the concern and near desperation in them. Also, I wasn't about to have a man's death on my hands if I could help it.

I found myself in a small room, with a group of three other women at my beck and call. It took a while, nearly four days in all, but we did find Mr. Kuryakin and Mr. Solo raced off to rescue him. I went home, limp from the stress and exhilaration of success. For the first time in my life, I'd made a real difference.

Of course, I couldn't talk to anyone about it, so I heated up for some water and dug out the Epson's salt. I deserved a good soak to my way of thinking. Tomorrow I would go back to the Masque Club and the sameness of my days. At this point, that wasn't such a bad prospect.

I put together a light dinner and carried it to a TV tray in the living room. I was nearly ready to take a bite when there was a knock on the door.

A quick glance at the clock made me frown. Who would be calling at this hour?

"Hello?" I pressed my ear to the door.

"Mrs. Valentine, it's me, Mr. Solo."

I undid the locks and opened the door and gasped. There was a huge bouquet of flowers and a pair of legs. They moved past me and only then did I see Mr. Solo, nearly hidden in the blossoms and greenery.

"Where would you like me to put these?" he asked and I pointed to the dining room table.

"Why, I've never saw such a thing of beauty before." I laughed as Mr. Solo shook a fern from his hair. "This is the first time I've ever received flowers." The fragrance filled my small apartment and somehow infused it with life.

"Then I am honored to be the one doing it." He still looked tired but exhilarated. "Thanks to your efforts, Illya was rescued two hours ago. He's going to be fine, but if it had gone on any longer…" He stopped and gave a little sigh.

"Now, don't burden your thoughts with what might have been and wasn't. Live in the moment. That's what my Jacob always told me." I gestured to a picture and Mr. Solo bent to look at it.

"He was a handsome man. Is this your family?" He picked up another framed photo.

"It is. That's Andrew, he's my oldest, and Janine and then Paul. He's at Lincoln and doing so…" I stopped and laughed. "I'm sorry. Here you are being so kind and I'm going on about my children."

"It's fine." He paused again. "You did an incredible thing, Mrs. Valentine."

"Well, it was a bit stressful, but very exciting. My old job is going to be pretty boring after this. Still, there is nothing wrong with boring."

"But it doesn't have to be. We are organizing a new department and we want you to head it."

"Excuse me?"

"It wouldn't be easy, but your work could save the world."

"The… the world?"

"Yes. Why don't we discuss this over dinner?"

I glanced over at my dinner and nodded. "I'd like that."

That night we dined at the Masque Club where I was hailed as a hero and, more importantly, as an equal. I knew I couldn't go back. More importantly, I didn't want to. I felt as if I'd been training my whole life for this moment and I would not let fear of the unknown cloud it.

The next morning I walked into an office and sat at a desk that had my name on it. True I wore a badge with a number, but I knew in my heart of hearts that here I was much more than just a number. I was a respected part of an elite force that safeguarded the world. That might be an enormous burden for some, but for the first time in my life, I was home. 


End file.
